6 August 2019

Curriculum Report – Mathematics 

Focus

• Proud, prepared learners achieving at or above the National Standard in Mathematics.

Programme

What sort of things did the students do over the last 12 months (since the last report) - to advance that vision.

• Junior Syndicate: Maths PLD with facilitator Dianne Ogle continues with the focus continuing on teaching and learning maths through problem solving. Junior teachers are still very much teaching number knowledge, but bringing the teaching of number knowledge through in strand work also. Children continue to work in mixed ability grouping. Teachers continue to plan collaboratively at syndicate meetings with more rich conversations around children’s thinking and learning in maths happening as teachers own content knowledge around the big ideas are growing also.

• Middle Syndicate: Maths PLD with facilitator Dianne Ogle has helped us to focus on a systematic approach to planning. We continue to plan collaboratively but are now looking closely at the progression of learning to make sure the steps are achievable and consistent with the specific knowledge and strategies being taught. We are now exploring the best materials to use to support the learning and relevant independent follow up activities to consolidate learning. The children continue to work in mixed ability groups on problems that have a real life setting. It is noticeable how well they are using maths language and a range of methods to explain their thinking to their group and with the class.

• Senior Syndicate: Maths PLD with Dianne has moved our focus from number knowledge and strategy to a wider maths curriculum. We have started teaching number through the strands with a focus on problem solving. We are continuing to group students in mixed ability groups so that students have access to a range of thinking. Teachers continue to plan collaboratively. 

Assessment Procedures

• What student assessment procedures are being used to find out how well the vision is being advanced?

• Junior Syndicate: JAM  – JAM for years 1-3 taken twice a year with results being is recorded on Etap.

Photos to document learning and progress. Numeracy Framework beginning to be used find students overall curriculum level

• Middle Syndicate:

JAM  – JAM for years 1-3 taken twice a year with results recorded on Etap

Gloss and NUMPA for Year 4

PAT testing at the end of the year

We are becoming familiar with using the Numeracy Framework to find students overall curriculum level.

Senior Syndicate:

NUMPA and Gloss recorded on eTap, I Can Sheets, Observational assessment in modelling books.  We are beginning to use the Numeracy Framework to find students overall curriculum level.

Trend Analysis

• What do the results of the student assessments show? - How well is the long term vision being advanced? - Are students succeeding?

• Junior Syndicate:

Term 2 2019 shows that more junior children are on their way to reaching their expected curriculum level by the end of their second year at school. We have 7% working above expected level. Looking at current data we should have most children at expected curriculum level for year 1 & 2 by the end of the year.

• Middle Syndicate:

Term 2, 2019 looks likely that most Year 3 and 4 children will be operating within Level 2 by the end of the year. 

• Senior Syndicate:  

By the time students get to Year 6 they are mostly at and above. Currently 70% of the senior syndicate is working at Level 2 to early Level 3. This is encouraging given that we would hope Year 6’s are at Level 3 by the time they leave. 

Students and Groups of Students at risk

• Who are the students who are not succeeding at this time? (in general terms).

• Junior Syndicate: Children are entering school at 5 years old with very little number knowledge so teachers are spending a lot more time on building up their basic number knowledge (Girls more so than boys) so progress to level 1 maybe a lot slower than should be.

• Middle Syndicate: The problem solving group activities and the whole class discussions have been successful in  lifting the children’s thinking through the stage 4 barrier that existed a year ago. The children are now able to explain the Stage 5 strategies they use to work out a variety of solutions to Level 2 problems. The few children still operating at Stage 3 and 4 are listening to these conversations by their peers on a daily basis and are seeing the solutions written as a variety of mathematical equations.

• Senior Syndicate: Students who continue to work at Stage 4 in Year 5 and 6 are most at risk. These students have developed poor habits and are reluctant to take risks. PAT testing showed a lack of strand knowledge and that many students were unable to transfer knowledge and strategy when the context changed.

Teaching and learning strategies to address the above

• What is being done - what changes are being made - so that all students succeed.

• Junior Syndicate:  Front loading. More problem solving using maths language and real life contexts. Exposure throughout the day, integrating into other curriculum areas and Discovery Time. Giving opportunities to explain thinking. Children are being targeted if they are showing a lack of understanding of the daily concepts being taught, more teacher time is given to these children to help understand and grasp specific content that the child is struggling with

• Middle Syndicate: Students are observed during maths problem solving time. These students are noted and subsequent sessions are run to go over new learning or further practice.  Some children have been selected as part of a targeted teaching group to work for a short time each day so the knowledge, maths language and possible strategies can be front loaded prior to the class session. Practical and real life problems are integrated into every maths lesson. 

• Senior Syndicate: Students are observed during maths problem solving time. These students are noted and subsequent sessions are run to go over new learning or further practice.  During these sessions students are front loaded with knowledge, vocab and basic skills. Practical and real life problems are integrated into every maths lesson. 

• Additional learning needs and Special Rights: Extra support for students, teachers and teacher aides is accessed through learning support and RTLB so differentiated learning can then be considered and planned for in maths. IEP’s also provide opportunity for maths learning needs to be considered under The NZ curriculum and Te Whāriki using hands on learning, equipment and experiences with 1-1 support.

Looking Ahead

• Planned changes in the vision and the particular focus for this curriculum area at this school at this time in light of student achievement data and/or curriculum changes and the school’s vision and strategic directions.

• Junior Syndicate: Continuing to work with /Ali/Diane on using mixed ability grouping, teaching through problem solving and children being aware of where they are, where they are going and how to get there.  More exposure to maths language and explaining their thinking so as they move up the school hopefully children will make better transitions into the different levels with maths as they will understand the language and thinking better

• Middle Syndicate: Continuing to work with Diane and Ali to build teacher capability and confidence in both planning and teaching. Refining the  mixed ability grouping to ensure the children are sharing their thinking and taking turns to record and explain. Continuing to teach the strands by integrating them into the problem solving.Continuing to share with children where they are, where they are going and how they can get there.

• Senior Syndicate:

• Strategies needed to move Senior students at Stage 4

• (Games, Rapid Recall, Growth Mindset, Traits of Mathematicians)

• Continuing to integrate Strands within number teaching 

• Continuing to work with Diane on using mixed ability grouping, teaching through problem solving and children being aware of where they are, where they are going and how to get there.